US1798988A - Can-opening device - Google Patents

Description

March 31, 1931. s v 1,798,988

CAN OPENING DEVLQE Filed July 13, 1927 Zzyerze J 6401? NVENTOR 0 BY j 0 ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 31, 1931 UNITED STATES EUGENE SEAVEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CAN-OPENING DEVICE Application filed July 13, 1927. Serial No. 205,405.

This invention relates to improvements in can opening devices. 7

The primary object of the invention resides in a can opening device in which the can cutting element is vertically adjustable above a can supporting platform to facilitate the easy opening of cans of different sizes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a can opening device in which the blade of the cutting element is shaped to fit the contour of a can top and by which the cut edge of the can is automatically bent inwardly during the cutting operation to provide a smooth open end to the can.

A further object is the provision of a can opening device which includes a cutting element adjustably mounted above a can receiving platform and on which an adjustable can guide is mounted for holding the can in a set position with respect to the cutting element for accommodating the opening of cans of different heights and diameters.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an article of the kind mentioned which is simple in construction, and inexpensive of manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in certain novel construction and combination and arrangement of parts, the essential features of which are hereinafter fully described, are particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved can opening device showing a can in position to be opened.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the can opening device per se.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the knife and its handle.

Figure 4 is a detail vertical sectional view of the can guide.

Figure 5 is a detail side elevation of the cutting blade.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 designates a base or platform which may be constructed of either metal or wood and from which a post or standard 11 rises vertically adjacent one of the edges thereof. The post 11 is hexagon or angular shape in cross section to slidably receive a block 12 in which a set screw 13 is threaded for clamping engagement with the post for holding the block 12 in various positions of vertical adjustment.

A cutting element 14 is pivotally supported by the block 12 as at 15 and which passes through a cutting bladelG.

The blade 16 is of concavo-convex shape in cross section both vertically and horizontally to fit the general contour of the side of a can, and which blade is provided with a corrugated knife edge 17 for cutting engage ment with the top of the can to be opened and by which the cutting edge of the can is automatically turned inwardly to produce a smooth open edge to the can. A handle member 18 constitutes part of the cutting element 14 and is relatively U-shape in plan so that the free ends or legs straddle the extension 19 of the cutting blade and to which a cutting pivot blade is fixedly mounted by rivets 20. Pivot- I" the handle member and ed between the legs of extending into the enlarged body of the same, is a bottle cap opener 21 which is pivotally mounted as at 22, whereby the cutting element may be removed from the post and utilized for the opening of milk like. 'The blade 16 is also provided with a metal bottle cap opener 23 which may be used for the removal of metal caps from bottles and like containers.

For the purpose of positioning the can 24 upon the base 1-0 with respect to the adjusted position of the cutting element, I provide a guide member24 which is constructed of a single piece of flat material, cut and bent to provide a curved or segmental shaped wall 25 from which an angularly disposed manipulating handle 26 extends. The handle 26 is pivoted to the base 10 adjacent one of the corners thereof by means of a screw 27, while the said handle has spring fingers 28 punched therefrom and which extend downward for engagement with the top of the base 10 and by which a friction may beset up be tween the guide member or the base for bottle caps and the maintaining the said member in an adjusted position.

The cutting blade 16 in addition to being concavo-convex is provided longitudinally with a compound or spiral curve, whereupon the cutting surface which progressively engages the top of the can to be opened is ad ways vertical. If this were not so, then the cutting edge would not cut in spaced parallel relation to the top edge of the can, as the cutting blade is pivotally mounted upon the supporting post.

In operatlon of the device, the cutting element 14 is swung to a position parallel to the post or standard 11 and raised to a position to allow the top of the can to pass beneath the end of the same. The cutting element is then moved downward until the nose 29 of the cutting blade strikes the top of the can at which time the set screw 13 is tightened, whereupon the can is held clamped down. The can when placed upon the base is V moved .against the wall of the guide memher which guide mernber is adjusted to the proper position for positioning thecan with respect to the cutting element. The device may now be operated, at which time the operator grasps the can by one hand and proceedslto swing the cutting element downward causing the nose to swing freeof the can to release the same while the pointed end of the blade penetrates the top of the can and the following knife edge progressively cuts same. The cutting element is, IDQVed up and down until the entire top of the can has been out, the operator turning the can during the cutting operation. It will be appreciated that by reason of the peculiar con struction of knife blade, the cutting operation causes the edge of the can to be automatically turned inward, as the knife blade does not cut from the extreme periphery of the top but slightly inward therefrom.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have provideda can opening ,device which is capable of receiving cans of different sizes and which can may be held rigid during the cutting operation which severs the entire top of the can and turns the cut edge inwardly against the side walls.

aperture in one end thereof for receiving said pivot, a convex notched cutting edge on said knife blade, a handle on the opposite end of said knife blade for swinging the latter on its pivot to cut a curved line in the top end of a can, said can adapted to be manually revolved on said base for joining the ends of the curved'line to sever the entire top of the can, a pivoted guide adjustably mounted on said base to hold a can in position thereon, and spring fingers stamped from said guide and adapted for frictional engagement with said base for holding said pivoted guide in an adjusted position.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my El l 1 ENE SEAYEY.

s gnatur 1 7 While I have described what I .deem to be i the most desirable embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that many of the details may be varied without in any way departing from the spirit of my invention, and I therefore do not limit myself to the exact details of construction herein set forth nor to anything less than the whole of my invention limited only by the appendedclaim.

* What is claimed as new is A .canopening device comprising a straight vertically disposed post, a' base supporting said post, said :baseadapted also to support a can adjacent said post, a pivot mounted on said post, a curved knife blade having an

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